Interchangable brush attachment for rotary carpet cleaning machine

ABSTRACT

A brush attachment for a rotary carpet cleaning machine may have interchangeable heads. The brush attachment may also be used on extraction machines to provide both carpet brushing and extraction simultaneously. The interchangeable heads may be used (for example, more firm heads, or more soft heads) to provide different cleaning conditions, depending on the surface to be brushed. Springs may be provided with the brush attachment to permit the attachment to float on the machine. In other words, the springs may permit the brush attachment surfaces to be angled relative to the cleaning face of the machine.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present invention claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalpatent application No. 61/380,427, filed Sep. 7, 2010, the contents ofwhich are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to carpet cleaning machines and, moreparticularly, to a bolt on floating brush attachment that hasinterchangeable brush heads that can greatly boost the cleaning power ofa rotary carpet cleaning machine.

Conventional rotary brush carpet cleaning machines do not allow a userto brush the carpet and extract cleaning solution and dirt from thecarpet at the same time. For example, when using a typical rotary carpetcleaning machine, such as an RX 20 extractor, a user may not be able tobrush the carpet and extract dirt, debris and cleaning solution at thesame time. This requires the user to change heads on the rotary carpetcleaning machine, costing time and money.

As can be seen, there is a need for an attachment for a carpet cleaningmachine that may permit the machine to brush the carpet while nothindering the extraction ability of the machine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a brush attachment comprises abase plate; a plurality of base plate brackets attached to a first sideof the base plate and extending from an outer circumference of the baseplate; and a plurality of brushes removably attached to the base platebrackets.

In another aspect of the present invention, a brush attachment comprisesa base plate; a plurality of base plate brackets attached to a firstside of the base plate and extending from an outer circumference of thebase plate; a plurality of brushes removably attached to the base platebrackets; spacers attached to the base plate brackets; and brushbrackets attached to the spacers, wherein the base plate brackets andthe brush brackets are L-shaped, wherein a channel is formed between thebrush brackets and the base plate brackets, and wherein the brushes fitinto the channel.

In a further aspect of the present invention, a carpet cleaning machinecomprise a plurality of suction heads; a brush attachment disposed onthe carpet cleaning machine, the brush attachment comprising a baseplate, a plurality of L-shaped base plate brackets attached to a firstside of the base plate and extending from an outer circumference of thebase plate, a plurality of brushes removably attached to the base platebrackets, spacers attached to the base plate brackets, and L-shapedbrush brackets attached to the spacers, wherein a channel is formedbetween the brush brackets and the base plate brackets and the brushesfit into the channel, wherein the suction heads are disposed adjacent tothe brushes, and wherein the brush attachment does not interfere withthe suction action of the suction heads.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a user using a rotary carpet cleaningmachine having a brush attachment according to an exemplary embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the rotary carpet cleaningmachine of FIG. 2 having the brush attachment attached thereto;

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the brush attachment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the brush attachment of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the brush attachment of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be usedindependently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a brushattachment for a rotary carpet cleaning machine that may haveinterchangeable heads. The brush attachment may also be used onextraction machines to provide both carpet brushing and extractionsimultaneously. The interchangeable heads may be used (for example, morefirm heads, or more soft heads) to provide different cleaningconditions, depending on the surface to be brushed. Springs may beprovided with the brush attachment to permit the attachment to float onthe machine. In other words, the springs may permit the brush attachmentsurfaces to be angled relative to the cleaning face of the machine.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 5, a rotary carpet cleaning machine 30may be used to clean a surface, such as a carpet 32 while a user 28operates the machine 30. A brush attachment 10 may be used in themachine 30 to provide for agitation of the carpet 32 while the machine30 may extract dirt, debris, cleaning solution, and the like.

The brush attachment may include a base plate 20 having a plurality ofbase plate brackets 18 extending outwardly from the base plate 20. Thebase plate brackets 18 may be permanently or temporarily affixed to thebase plate 20. In some embodiments, the base plate brackets 18 may bewelded to the base plate 20. The base plate brackets 18 may include aflat portion, generally planar with the base plate 20, and an angledportion, generally orthogonal to and extending from the base plate 20.Mounting holes may be provided in the base plate brackets 18. From 4 toabout 8 base plate brackets 18 may be evenly spaced apart and extendfrom the outer circumference of the base plate 20. Typically, five baseplate brackets 18 may be disposed on the base plate 20.

Spacer plates 16, having mounting holes that align with the mountingholes of the base plate brackets 18, may be disposed on each base platebracket 18. A brush bracket 14 may be disposed on spacer plates 16. Thebrush bracket 14 may have mounting holes that align with the mountingholes on the spacer plates 16 and the base plate brackets 18. The brushbracket 14 may be L-shaped, where, when the brush bracket 14 is attachedto the spacer plate 16 and the spacer plate 16 is attached to the baseplate bracket 18, the extending portion of the L-shaped brush bracket 14forms a channel with the base plate bracket 18. A brush 12 may bedisposed in this channel. Bolts 26 and nuts 24 may be used to affix thebase plate brackets 18, the spacer plates 16 and the brush brackets 14.

When a user wishes to change the brushes 12, the nuts 24 may be loosenedfrom the bolts 26, causing the channel formed between the base platebracket 18 and the brush bracket 14 to loosen, allowing the removal ofthe brush 12. A new brush 12 may be installed in this channel and thenuts 24 tightened to secure the brush 12.

As shown in FIG. 2, the brush attachment 10 may be attached to themachine 30 via the base plate 20. The suction heads 34 of the machine 30may still be used when the brush attachment 10 is in place. Therefore,the machine 30 may be used to brush the carpet 32 and suction dirt,debris, cleaning solution, and the like, from the carpet 32,simultaneously.

A plurality of springs 22, as shown in FIG. 4, may be disposed betweenthe base plate 20 and the machine 30 when the brush attachment 10 isattached to the machine 30. The springs 22 may allow the base plate 20,and therefore the brushes 12, to float relative to the machine 30. Inother words, when the face of the machine 30 is oriented, for example,parallel to the carpet 32, the brushes 12 may be angled relative to thecarpet 32 due to only a portion of the springs 22 being compressed.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A brush attachment comprising: a base plate; aplurality of base plate brackets attached to a first side of the baseplate and extending from an outer circumference of the base plate; and aplurality of brushes removably attached to the base plate brackets. 2.The brush attachment of claim 1, further comprising: spacers attached tothe base plate brackets; and brush brackets attached to the spacers,wherein the base plate brackets and the brush brackets are L-shaped,wherein a channel is formed between the brush brackets and the baseplate brackets, wherein the brushes fit into the channel.
 3. The brushattachment of claim 1, wherein the base plate brackets are permanentlyaffixed to the base plate.
 4. The brush attachment of claim 1, furthercomprising a plurality of springs on a second, opposite side of the baseplate.
 5. The brush attachment of claim 2, further comprising bolts andnuts for interconnecting the base plate brackets with the spacers andthe brush brackets.
 6. A brush attachment comprising: a base plate; aplurality of base plate brackets attached to a first side of the baseplate and extending from an outer circumference of the base plate; aplurality of brushes removably attached to the base plate brackets;spacers attached to the base plate brackets; and brush brackets attachedto the spacers, wherein the base plate brackets and the brush bracketsare L-shaped, wherein a channel is formed between the brush brackets andthe base plate brackets, and wherein the brushes fit into the channel.7. The brush attachment of claim 6, wherein the base plate brackets arewelded to the base plate.
 8. The brush attachment of claim 6, furthercomprising a plurality of springs on a second, opposite side of the baseplate.
 9. A carpet cleaning machine comprising: a plurality of suctionheads; a brush attachment disposed on the carpet cleaning machine, thebrush attachment comprising a base plate, a plurality of L-shaped baseplate brackets attached to a first side of the base plate and extendingfrom an outer circumference of the base plate, a plurality of brushesremovably attached to the base plate brackets, spacers attached to thebase plate brackets, and L-shaped brush brackets attached to thespacers, wherein a channel is formed between the brush brackets and thebase plate brackets and the brushes fit into the channel, wherein thesuction heads are disposed adjacent to the brushes, and wherein thebrush attachment does not interfere with the suction action of thesuction heads.
 10. The carpet cleaning machine of claim 9, furthercomprising a plurality of springs disposed between the base plate of thebrush attachment and the carpet cleaning machine.